Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-04-22
ST. JOHNSBURY AND LAKE CHAMPLAIN
RAILROAD Co PRESIDENTS OFFICE, :
Boston, APRIL 7, 1887

Boston, APRIL Z, 1887.
Altred E. Watson, tsqv, Clerk, Board Of COM
miSSlOncrs, HdrfOrd, W.
Dear Sr:-Gour favor of the Both ut, to
Mr.. StOwell, our Superintendent, enclosing
letter of f. K. Hard, Esq, on behalf OF Ger
tain citizens of burlington and elsewhere. is
referred to me.
We, IN the first place, deny that our bust.
ness arrangements at Cambridge Junction are
in any respect different from those at other
similar points, viz: sheldon, Swanton, and st.
JOhnsbury, VT, SO far as relates to an inter-
change of joint business and we further de-
ny that II Il Though y act or desire of our
own that our relations ut the point in ques-
tiOn, and for that matter at the Others named,
that the prescut condition of affairs EXISTS.
We would prefer more liberal policy to be
pursued at all the points in question regard
Jug an interchange of traffic, particularly
freight and should be pleased to arrange for
the same, but are unable to do more than
make an arrangement that will let the con
Meeting roads at the Junction in question into
our territory without any reciprocal arrange.
Inent on their part for doing business in
theirs.
We should he unwilling. and believe your
board would agree with me that it would be
neither fair or equitable. TO make an ar.
rangcment to do joint business in connection
with the burlington and Lamole railroad Tor
stations on our roads as far east as 81. Johns
bury only because by 20 doing we Should re-
ceivc only Il short haul on business o and
from our road instead of hauling tn. same
from Portland and Boston AS now. IT, how
ever, the burlington and LamoIlle railroad
would make an agreement to bin to and from
we should not only he willing, buJ pleased, to
make such an arrangement, and have solicit
ed SUI h IN arrangement from Mr.. G. l.. Lin
sley, the general manager of the burlington
and LamOille raj road but without effect
In this latter case we should have business
to and from Burlington and our larger sta
lions, the income from which would cOmpen-
safe us for the loss we should sustain in SUD-
plying our territory partially from Burling-
ton instead of from stations on our own lines
Were the Burlington and Lamoille railroad
an independent company and not controlled
by the Central Vermont railroad, or parties
in its interest. the question could, in nv iuClg-
ment. never arise, uut controlled as it is to
take business to ana from Burlington by other
lines than its own 1t should neither ask nor
expect the same facilities OF its connections il
would otherwise have; neither should it u SIX
of Others what it is itself unwilling or unable
to grant.
Neither this road nor the Boston and Lowell
has any objections to a hearing on this matter
should the board deem it of sufficient impor-
tanCe to warrant one.
Yours truly,
c. S. MELLEN. President.
Ex-Gov. ,Pingree then suggested that
il might be well for President Mellen
and General Manager Linsley to hold
consultation over the matter before the
commission began to take evidence. Presi-
dent Mellen said the petition requested
that the st. Johnsbury and Lake Cham
plain be compelled to unite with the Bur.
lington and Lamoille in the adoption of
joint traffic rates, but he wished to unite
with the business men of this city and
asked that the Burlington and Lamoille
be compelled to bill freight to all points
in the territory of the former and not
merely TO those points which could not be
reached over the Central Vermont road
His road naturally wanted do business
with Burlington as it was the most i'm
pOrtaut point i'll Vermont, but it had been
unable to do so, owing to the fact that the
Burlington and Lamoille could not give
nf.1 t..s trslft if l,nS Ial,, 4.
and Lake Champlain road and in fact it
was run for the purpose of preventing
such traffic as far as possible in the in
terest of the Central Vermont road
At this point Mr.. Linsley took excep-
ton to the statements of Mr.. Mellen, and
asserted that the Burlington and Lamoil!e
road was run in the interest of its stock
holders. The road had never refused to
bill freight to or from any point by way of
the Boston and Lowell except Boston and
vicinity.
Mr.. Mellen-"That is the principal point
that we wish to cover, and Is it not true
that there has existed between the Cen
trail Vermont and the Burlington and La
noble road an agreement by which the
latter was prohibited from billing freight
from Boston to Burlington over the St.
Johnsbury and Lake Champlain road ?"
Mr.. Lnsley-"There was such an agree
ment."
Mr.. Mellen-"And is there not such an
agreement in operation to-day ~
Mr.. Linsley-"Yes."
Mr. Melen then spoke of the advantages
of competition that would result to Bur
lington if joint traffic tariff was estab-
lished, and said that in order to get at the
matter he would make proposition to the
Burlington and Lamoille that each road
bill freight to all points in the others ter
ritory on terms as low as could be obtained
by any other line.
Mr. iuSlpV sa id that he WOnlI aOrea n
Joint tariff to all points in the Boston
AID Lowell territory If that road would
put Burlington on an equal basis with
Maquam bay.
The division of tariff having been re-
ferred to Mr.. Mellen suggested that each
road make a proposition to the other with
reference to rates and that if the roads
could not agree in the matter that each
proposition be referred to the railroad
com mission, their decision to be final.
Mr.. Linsley assented to this. but ex-Gov.
Pingree suggested that the power of the
lxy Il afn..x -,